lick. In which cafe, I fhall either mention their names, or obferve a religious filence as they fhall defire. But I think it proper to declare beforehand, that I will have nothing to do with fcandal or fatyr, or whatever reflects upon any one's perfon or reputation; nor will I engage in any party quarrels. My remarks fhall be entirely confined to matters of learning and ingenuity; in which I fhall endeavour to keep a due medium between abject flattery and rigid cenfure. Nor yet am I fo vain as to fet up for a judge. I fhall indeed take the liberty now and then to give my own opinion, without any partiality; but I defire it may always be looked upon only as my private opinion. However, I fhall endeavour not to incur the juft difpleasure of any. And in order to avoid it, I fhall enter into no religious controverfies, any further than to give an impartial view of the arguments ufed on either fide of a queftion; and fo much I think I may and am obliged to do. Tros Rutulufve fuat, nullo difcrimine habebo. As to the reft of my Plan, 'tis pretty much the fame with that of the other Journalists, which is fufficiently known. I fhall give extracts of the most curious and useful new books that appear either at home or abroad, with an account of the subject, and the Author's manner of handling it; and these I shall endeavour to diverfify as much as poffible. Nor will I neglect new editions of old books, especially when attended with additions, notes, corrections, or any other particular advantages. And to fatisfy the curiofity of thofe who are defirous to know the ftate of learning more particularly, I fhall I fhall at the end of every Journal give an account how the preffes are employed both at home and abroad, according to the best of my intelligence. I hope I fhall oblige the Public, by inferting all fuch fmall pieces as are rare and valuable, to prevent (as far as I can) their being loft. The Eloges of men that have been eminent in the Republic of Letters do alfo naturally belong to a work of this kind and 'tis hoped that when any fuch die, their friends will be fo good to us, and fo juft to their memories, as to furnifh us with accounts of their lives a point in which we have hitherto been too negligent of the honour of our country. The learned of all nations, and every man of our own, owe fo much refpect to the illuftrious name of Sir Ifaac Newton, that I could not omit the Panegyric of fo great a man, written by fo masterly a hand as Mr. Fontenelle. The character of either the one or the other fingly is enough to recommend it. Indeed, the bare recital of Sir Ifaac's Life and Works, is fo great an Encomium upon him, that Mr. Fontenelle feems to have thought it wanted no other ornaments, and that there was no occafion for that agreeable art he has used in fetting off the characters of other great men I am perfuaded I need make no apology for inferting it, though it be pretty long; efpecially feeing it is accompanied with remarks, that to fome may not perhaps appear unneceffary. I ought however to acquaint the Reader, that the two first sheets being printed off before I refolved to publish this Eloge, is the reafon that he will not meet with greater variety in this first Effay, though there be a fheet added extraordinary; but I fhall endeavour to make him amends in time to come. A TA A TABLE of the ARTICLES 39 pag. I II. Miscellaneous Remarks upon feveral paffa- III. A Critical History of the Athanafian Creed, IV. Optical Lectures read in the public Schools of the University of Cambridge, A. D. 1669, by the late Sir Ifaac Newton, then Profeffor V. A Panegyric upon Sir Ifaac Newton, by THE PRESENT STATE OF THE Republick of Letters. For JANUARY 1728. ARTICLE Í. LA RELIGION des GAULOIS, tirée des plus pures Sources de l'Antiquité. Par le R. P. Dom *** Religieux Bénédictin de la Congregation de S. Maur. Ouvrage enrichi de Figures en Tailledouce. A Paris chez Saugrain Fils. 1727. That is, AN ACCOUNT of the Religion of the Gauls, taken from ancient Authors and Monuments. In Two Volumes 4to. JANUARY 1728. B The The first contains 535 pages; the fecond, 513: befides the Preface, Contents, and a Difcourfe on the Manners and Customs of ancient Gaul. T HE Subject of this Work is certainly very curious; but feems withal fo barren, that one would wonder how the Author could fill up above a thou fand Pages in 4to upon it. The ancient Writers fay very little of it, and in what they do fay, often contradict one another. And indeed, how could it be otherwife? feeing it was a Maxim among the Druids, not only to commit no part of their Religion to writing, but to inftruct none in it, except fuch as were of their own Order. Notwithstanding these and other difficulties, which have hitherto deterr'd the most curious Enquirers into Antiquity from attempting to give a full and clear View of the Celtic Religion, our Author has ventur'd to prefent this work as fuch to the Publick. In order to form a right judgment of it, we muft obferve, that none of the Ancients, except Cæfar, Diodorus Siculus, Mela, Strabo, and Pliny the Naturalift, have profeffedly treated of the Religion of the Gauls; and they too have done it fo fuperficially, and in fo concise a stile, that all of them put together would not fill three or four pages of this Book. To fupply this defect, the Author thought himfelf obliged to read over all the Greek and Roman writers with a great deal of attention, fo that nothing relating to his Subject might escape |